The Ballon d‘Or ceremony has been expanded significantly in recent times, with an array of different awards up for grabs.
The Ballon d‘Or is handed out to the best male footballer at the end of every year, but we are now blessed with the Ballon d‘Or Féminin—the same prize but for women footballers—and a variety of other high-profile accolades handed out to the best and brightest in the game
One prize that has been dished out at the ceremony in recent years is the Kopa Trophy, with some of the world's modern greats having claimed the individual prize.
But what is the Kopa Trophy? And who has won it previously?
What is the Kopa Trophy?
The Kopa Trophy has been awarded at the Ballon d’Or ceremony since 2018 and is claimed by the best performing male footballer under the age of 21. It can be won by players outside of UEFA competition and leagues, which sets it apart from the Golden Boy award.
The Kopa Trophy is judged by a selection of former Ballon d’Or winners, who will come to an agreement on the best player under the age of 21 from the previous season. In 2025, for example, the award will be attributed to the highest-level performer during the 2024–25 campaign.
The award is presented by France Football, who also hand out the Ballon d’Or, and is named after the legendary Raymond Kopa.
Who is Raymond Kopa?
Raymond Kopa won the third ever Ballon d’Or in 1958 and is a legendary figure for France, Real Madrid and Reims.
The forward, who passed away in 2017, was one of the most esteemed footballers of the 1950s and 1960s, winning three European Cups and two La Liga titles with Madrid and four French top-flight titles with Reims.
He won the 1958 Ballon d’Or for his performances for club and country, helping France to a third-placed finish at the World Cup that year having already won La Liga and the European Cup. He made 45 appearances for Les Bleus and was nicknamed ‘Little Napoleon’ by the Spanish press for his ability to command the forward line.
Past Winners of the Kopa Trophy
There have been six different winners of the Kopa Trophy with players unlikely to win the prize on multiple occasions given the award’s age restrictions. However, all past victors have gone on to make quite the splash.
Kylian Mbappe was the inaugural winner of the Kopa Trophy in 2018 having sparkled with Paris Saint-Germain. The Frenchman had already won Ligue 1 twice before claiming the accolade but still awaits his first Ballon d’Or crown. Surely, now with Real Madrid, it’s only a matter of time.
Arguably the most underwhelming winner of the Kopa Trophy came in 2019, with now Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt claiming the prize with Juventus. It was, however, his performances in an Ajax shirt that caught the eye, with the Dutch defender having failed to live up to his immense potential thus far.
After 2020’s cancelled event it was a pair of Barcelona midfielders who scooped the next two titles. Pedri and Gavi were deserved winners in 2021 and 2022 respectively as they had supporters purring over the emergence of two Andrés Iniesta regens.
The 2023 Kopa Trophy was won by England and Madrid star Jude Bellingham, while the most-recent recipient of the award is Lamine Yamal, who won by a record margin in 2024.
The Spanish youngster received the most points ever in the polls with 113. Second-placed Arda Güler, meanwhile, received just 26.
Every Kopa Trophy Winner
Nominees for the 2025 Kopa Trophy
As tradition dictates, 10 of the brightest young talents in world football have been shortlisted for the 2025 Kopa Trophy, with the winner to be crowned on September 22.
Reigning Kopa Trophy holder Lamine Yamal returns to the shortlist after driving Barcelona’s domestic treble-winning campaign in 2024–25. Alongside him is fellow Barça wonderkid Pau Cubarsí, the teenage centre back who became a linchpin of Hansi Flick’s championship defence.
The Catalan duo won’t have it all their own way, though. Paris Saint-Germain boast two strong contenders in João Neves and Désiré Doué, both of whom were instrumental in delivering the Champions League to Paris last season.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid’s new recruit Dean Huijsen earns recognition after a breakout year at Bournemouth, while current Premier League representation comes in the form of Arsenal player Myles Lewis-Skelly and Chelsea’s exciting Brazilian winger Estêvão.
Completing the shortlist are LOSC Lille’s midfield prodigy Ayyoub Bouaddi, Porto star Rodrigo Mora, and Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız.
Kopa Trophy 2025 Nominees in Full
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as What is the Kopa Trophy? Past Winners and Nominees for 2025.